The week after Halloween can feel like starting September all over again. Late nights, sugar and a broken routine all land in your classroom on the same Monday.

The good news: a few short, predictable resets bring most classes back faster than any amount of “settle down”. Here are five that take less than five minutes each.

1. Start every morning the same way

Routine is regulation. For the first week back, open each day with the exact same three steps: hang up coats, quick feelings check-in, one minute of quiet. Children settle faster when they know what’s coming.

2. Teach the “I need a reset” signal

Give children a simple, no-fuss way to say they’re struggling: a hand signal or a card on the desk. Put up our free I Need a Reset poster so they can see their calm-down choices without needing to ask.

3. Move before you sit

A wired class won’t sit still because you ask nicely. Two minutes of movement first (stretching, shaking out arms, a quick “Simon says”) gets the energy out, so the calm can come in. Our movement breaks ideas have plenty more.

4. Breathe together after yard

Yard is where the excitement builds. Try “five-finger breathing” as soon as children sit down: trace up one finger as you breathe in, down as you breathe out, across all five fingers.

5. Lower your own volume

It’s tempting to talk over the noise. Try the opposite. Drop your voice, slow down, and wait. Children borrow the adult’s calm before they can find their own.

If you’ve a quiet space set up, now is a great week to re-introduce it. Our guide on how to set up a calm corner walks you through it.

What teachers say

“I would definitely recommend this course. The content was meaningful and practical and I will definitely use a lot of the strategies in the classroom next year. It is also a lovely course to do for personal reasons as it encourages the teacher to use their “Well-being Well” to cope with the stresses of school life.”

Caroline, teacher, on Calm Bootcamp

Go deeper

Calm Bootcamp is our online EPV summer course for a calmer, more regulated classroom. It’s done online, at your own pace. See Calm Bootcamp or browse all our EPV summer courses.

Free downloads in this post: I Need a Reset poster · Sensory Choice Board